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A FEW INTERESTING DETAILS

ABOUT

GARSTON

AND DISTRICT

BY

R. SAUNDERS JONES.

LIVERPOOL :
RocKLiFF Bros. Ltd., 44 Castle Street.

19 19.

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A FEW INTERESTING DETAILS

ABOUT

GARSTON

AND DISTRICT

BY /

R. SAUNDERS JONES.

LIVERPOOL :
RocKLlFF Bros Ltd., 44 Castle Street.

I 9 I 9.

The material for the following paper has been gathered from
various books and papers, and I am indebted to the following for
many of the incidents mentioned therein : —

" The Victoria History of the Counties of England and
Wales," edited by Messrs. W. Farrer and J. Brownbill.

" CathoHc History of Liverpool," hy Mr. Thos. Burke, j.p., c.c.

" Liverpool Annals " — Gore's Directory.

L. N. W. R. Co.

" Historical Topography of Aigburth and Garston," a paper
read before the Lancashire and Cheshire Historical Society,
hy the late Mr. Jos. Boult, f.i.b.a., in 1868 (April 30^A).

" History of the Royal and Ancient Park of Toxteth," hy the
late Mr. R. Griffiths.

" Rise and Progress of Liverpool," hy Mr. James Touzeau,
of the Town Clerk's Department, Liverpool.

"A Retrospect of Garston Church. 1874."

&c., &c.

" Report of the Medical Officer of Health of Liverpool for
1918."

A FEW INTERESTING DETAILS
ABOUT

GARSTON AND DISTRICT.

Early in 1914, I read a paper before the Welsh Presbyterian
Chapel Literary Society, giving my recollections of Garston during
a residence then, of over 45 years and now, nearly half-a-century, in
the same house, and which subsequently appeared in the " Garston
Weekly, News." It was afterwards printed for private circulation.
The kindly reception which it had, induced me to look further into
the earlier history of the place, and this has afforded me considerable
pleasure.

It would be beyond the scope of a single paper to give the
results of my research in various quarters, and I have to acknowledge
with thanks the help I have received from perusing the publications
mentioned at the beginning of these lines and from friends connected
with the place at the present time.

In his excellent and comprehensive book on the " Rise an
Progress of Liverpool," Mr. James Touzeau refers to the Garston
Manor, and bearing in mind the extension of the boundaries of the
city, whereby Garston became part of Liverpool in 1902, the following
resolution, passed by the Liverpool Town Council on 1st April, 1778,
is not without pecuhar interest locally : —

" Upon the report of the Mayor that he had contracted for the
" purchase of the Manor of Garston, the Royalty of the Fishery,
" with 14 acres of land, and several ground rents thereto appur-
" tenant, and reading the condition of sale with the contract at
" the foot, in consideration of £1,950 to be paid in February,
" 1779, it is unanimously agreed and ordered that the same
" purchase be carried into execution, and confirmed and the
" purchase deeds prepared by the Town Clerk in the Corporate

10484/^8

" name and that the Treasurer do pay the purchase money as
" soon as the same shall become due and be allowed the same
" in his accounts."

The possession of this ancient Manor by the Council was,
however, short-hved, for on 2nd June, 1779, occurs the following : —

Ordered — " That Mr. Baker shall have a conveyance of the
" Manor of Garston and premises whatsoever purchased by the
" Corporation from Mr. Beauclerk upon the terms and conditions
" mentioned in Mr. Baker's proposals now read, for all the
" estate and interest of the Corporation in the premises."

This sale is again referred to in 1785, when it was ordered that
Mr. Baker's purchase of the Manor of Garston be conveyed to him in
the like manner as the Corporation purchased the same. The
boundaries of the Manor are not defined, and it is therefore
impossible to say how far they coincide with those of Garston taken
over by the Corporation of Liverpool in 1902. It is a httle singular
that Liverpool should twice become possessed of the property.

In reference to the foregoing, I wrote to the present Town Clerk
of Liverpool some time ago, asking whether there was any official
memorandum in the Council's records giving any reason for the
sale, and he replied as follows : —

" The Liverpool Records merely mention the purchase sale of
" the Manor, without in either case giving a reason for the
" transaction,"

but it is said it was with a view of regulating the fisheries of the
Mersey, there being enough salmon trout caught in the river to feed
the people of Liverpool and other towns for twelve miles round,
and a balance to feed the pigs with. In various houses along the
river bank, ice rooms to store the fish caught pending their removal
by smacks were in use, and these rooms are still in existence for
other uses to-day. One was at Ivy House, Aigburth Road.

In the paper which the late Mr. Joseph Boult read in 1868 before
the Lancashire and Cheshire Historical Society, it is said the price
paid by the Corporation for the purchase of the Manor was ;^i,95o,
and Messrs. Baker and Dawson paid :{2,387 for it.

The Manor of Garston runs nearly two miles in length along the
shore of the River Mersey and extends more than a mile in breadth
into the interior part of the country, but there is not any common or
waste ground except the shore, which is a barren land or shelly or
rocks covered with sea-tang, over which the river constantly flows
up to the very edge of the enclosed land at spring tides.

Mr. Peter Baker was a shipbuilder, and it is recorded that the
ship " Kent," i,ioo tons, was launched from Mr, Baker's yard in
April, 1773, the largest merchantman then built in the North of
England, for a Mr. Kent. Mr. Kent appears to have been an enter-
prising merchant in Duke Street, Liverpool, and it is believed his
name was given to Kent Street, probably in the above year, when
it is said the streets of the town were named and the houses numbered
for the first time by order of the Vestry. There were then 230 square
streets, alleys, &c., 412 houses untenanted, and the poor rate 2/2 in
the £. In 1774, Mr. Kent's name appears among the members of
the then Chamber of Commerce.

As a lad, Peter Baker served a short apprenticeship as a joiner in
the neighbourhood of Garston. He then came to Liverpool, where
he worked as a carpenter, eventually becoming a master. At this
period, Liverpool took a prominent part in fitting out privateers
against the French and other enemies at the commencement of our
American troubles in 1775.

Baker accepted a contract to build and fit out a privateer. When
the ship was finished she was so clumsy, lop-sided, and of such bad
saihng qualities that the merchants rejected her, and she was thrown
back on Baker's hands. Already seriously in debt, and unable to
sustain such a heavy loss. Baker himself fitted her out as a privateer
and christened her the " Mentor." She mounted 28 guns, was 400
tons burthen, and had a crew of 102 hands. The men were a mixed
lot, picked up on the quays and landsmen in search of adventure.
Baker had a son-in-law named Dawson who had voyaged several times
to the coast of Africa and knew enough about navigation to accept
the command of the craft on her first voyage. After some delay,
the ship set sail down channel, presumably under the King's letter of
marquee. She had been hovering about the track of the French
merchantmen returning from the East Indies for about five days when

Captain Dawson thought of returning, as he could find nothing worth
his powder and shot. Falling in with another "privateer making for
port, Dawson asked if they had seen anything. He got the reply
that a Spanish 74 or else a Spanish East Indiaman had just been seen
in a certain latitude. Dawson exclaimed he might as well be in a
Spanish prison as an English one, for if he went back to Liverpool
without something he would most likely be put in prison for debt.

With doubtful vision of doubloons and pieces of eight, he made
sail for the Spanish ship. On 2%th October, 1778, she hove in sight.
He looked at her through his glasses and saw she was pierced for 74
guns. Thereupon he handed the glass to the carpenter, who looked
and observed that all the guns were dummies. Dawson straightway
attacked in most vigorous fashion and was surprised to find the
enemy make such feeble resistance to boarding. She was captured
and brought into port and proved to be the " Carnatic," a French
East Indiaman, with a cargo of immense value, said to be worth
;^400,ooo. It is said that one box of diamonds alone realised the sum
of £135,000. She had been three years in the Carnatic, trading in
gold and diamonds; and had never heard that war had broken out.
When the treasure-laden galleon arrived in the Mersey in charge of
her captors, the bells of the town were set ringing and guns fired in
honour of the event, whilst both crews, victors and captors alike,
were treated with great consideration by the townspeople. They
jocosely christened Baker " Lord Baker," and he was made Mayor
of Liverpool in 1795, and died in office yth February, 1796. He
had been Bailiff in 1785. He was also a County Magistrate. Out
of the proceeds of the prize, Baker built the Hall at Mossley Hill,
called by some wag " Carnatic Hall." The Hall was partially
destroyed by fire and rebuilt some years ago by the recent owners,
the Holland family.

The " Mentor " continued to do service for Messrs, Baker and
Dawson, who had by this time established themselves as shipbuilders
in Toxteth. She captured two or three more prizes of small value,
but in 1782, while on a passage from Jamaica to Liverpool, she
foundered off the banks of Newfoundland with a loss of 31 hands.

A curious old painting of the capture of the " Carnatic " hung
for many years at Carnatic Hall, until 1886, when it was presented to

the Library Committee as a contribution to commemorate Liverpool
in the olden times.

Carnatic Hall, a fine structure, built of Ruabon brigk, is situated
at the top of Elmswood Road. Carnatic Road, a few yards further
along Mossle}' flill Road, derives its name from the original building.

To many, no doubt, the meaning of the name Garston is unknown,
but Mr. Joseph Boult, in the paper before referred to, states that
Garston — the place of pasture — (from Anglo-Saxon Gaers =Grass) , a
name still in use in Sussex, with original significance of meadow.
By some, the name is derived from Gaer, said to have been a great
Danish earl — though Mr. Boult was not aware of anything in his
history to identify him with the locality, whilst the frequent use
of the word " He}^ " — a meadow in the names of fields and parcels
of land — ^is very corroborative of the original pastoral character of
the place. In Camden's maps of Lancashire and Cheshire the
name is printed " Graston."

Mr. John Blackburne, whose father was Mayor in 1760, and he
himself in 1788, living at his town house, Blackburne House, Hope
Street, Liverpool now the property of the Liverpool Corporation
(and used as a Girls' School) since the time when the Liverpool
Institute has been handed over to the Liverpool Education Authority,
the premises having been bought through the generosity of some
of Liverpool's leading citizens, was a salt proprietor and had his
salt works at the Salthouse Dock in Liverpool. Owing to an explosion
in 1793, the works were closed down and removed to Garston, where
57 acres of land had been purchased by Mr. Blackburne to re-erect
them, and also for building houses for the workpeople. These
works were in operation for about 60 years, and finally were abandoned
for the same reason. The property subsequently was purchased by
the L. & N.W.R. for railway and dock improvements, but I am well
able to remember the cottages being tenanted in the earlier years
of my residence in Garston.

Aigburth (Ackerberth) , the place of many oaks, probably derives
its name from a druidical sacred grove of those trees. It was formed
into an Ecclesiastical parish in 1844, St. Ann's Church being built
in 1837 and opened in 1838.

8

Mossley Hill Church was consecrated on 20th June, 1875, by the
then Bishop of Chester, Dr. Jacobson. The money for this Church
was left for a Church to be built in the Township of Garston, and
this has been .strictly and legally adhered to, the edifice being built
at the furthermost end of the township from the place itself. The
first vicar was the present Bishop of Carlisle, Dr. Diggle.

The foundation stone of Grassendale Church was laid on yth
September, 1852, by the Rev. Augustus Campbell, Rector of Liverpool,
and was opened on i^th August in the following year. This shews
how much behind hand we are in these days in the time occupied
in the erection of such places.

Mr. Thos. Burke, j.p., c.c, in his book, mentions St,
Austin's Roman Catholic Church, Grassendale. On 271^^
June, 1838, Bishop Briggs, the Vicar Apostolic, opened this Church
" within a mile from the Toll Bar." This Mission was founded by
the Benedictines, the land being generously offered by Mr. Peter
Chaloner as a gift. Mr. Chaloner, I think I am right in assuming,
was a timber merchant at the North end of Liverpool, and his firm
is still in existence. He resided at Aigburth Hall. The sermon was
preached by the Very Rev. Dr. Brown, o.s.b., President of Downside,
then the foremost controversialist in England. Some opposition
was offered to the erection of tliis Church bj' the Vicar Apostolic,
who eventually consented on condition that no funds were collected
in Liverpool proper, and that a sufficient sum of monej^ was set aside
to guarantee an annual income to the priest in charge of £90 per
annum. An interesting event in connection with this Church is that
the late Major Wm. Redmond, m.p., who was killed in the late war
on yth June, 1917, was baptized here, he having been born at
Laburnum Cottage, Cressington Park, in, I beheve, 1857.
The altar in the Church was brought from a suppressed Franciscan
Convent in Lisbon, to whom it had originally been presented by
Cardinal Sousa. The schools attached, which were opened on ?>th
May, 1843, were built by Mr. Charles Chaloner (brother of Mr. Peter
Chaloner before referred to), of New Hall, Aigburth Hall Road,

St. Francis of Assisi, Garston. A start was made on ?>th July, 1883,
with a temporary Chapel dedicated to St. Francis, new schools being
added in the October of the following year. Father Frederick

Smith was placed in charge of this Mission, who in addition to his
parochial duties, represented the district for many years on the
West Derby Guardians. He also acted as one of the Diocesan
Inspectors of Schools until his death, November 26th, 1909. He
was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Roberts, the present Rector.

The only burial accommodation in the neighbourhood was that
of Garston Church and the St. Austin's Roman Catholic burial
ground at Grassendale, but the Liverpool Corporation, as the Burial
Authority for the city, finding that their Cemetery in Smithdown
Road was becoming rapidly filled, Iboked round the neighbourhood
for fresh ground and purchased a site adjoining Allerton Hall,
containing 233 acres, at a cost of ^^52,000. This was opened on
2(^th December, 1909. The closing of Smithdown Road cemetery
to all but owners of graves has since made the Allerton site the
only place at this end of the city where burials in new graves can
take place, the accommodation at Garston and St. Austin's being
exhausted. Three Chapels — Church of England, Nonconformist
and Roman CathoHc^ — have been erected, and the place has been
beautifully laid out under the supervision of the Burials Committee
of the Corporation. It is one of the best of their Cemeteries and is
largely frequented, especially in the summer, by visitors. Over
8,000 interments have already taken place there.

Through the generosity of one of the leading families of the
neighbourhood (the Misses Singlehurst), a Seamen's Church in
connection with the Mersey Mission to Seamen has been erected in
St. Mary's Road, the foundation stone being laid on 3/'(^ April,
1906, by Miss F. A. Hornby, the first Chaplain beiijg Rev. Thomas
Williams, happily still with us, and doing excellent work amongst
the sailors frequenting the port. There is also a reading room, and
concerts are held during the winter months.

One of the leading residents of the district who took much
interest in its welfare was the late Sir Alfred L. Jones, who was well
known in many parts of the world as the chief partner in the firm
of Elder, Dempster & Co., managers of the African S.S. Co. Ltd.
and the British & African S.S. Co. Ltd. and many other shipping
and mercantile concerns. His death at the comparatively early
age of 63 was doubtless due to his great energy in the many com-

10

mercial activities he controlled. He was a self-made man and was
bom at Carmarthen in 1845. He resided during the later years of
his life at Oaklands, Aigburth Road, where he died on 13^/i December,
1909. He left money to sundry charities, and we in Garston have
benefited by his generosity, a sum having been left to assist in the
erection of a much-needed Accident and Emergency Hospital for
the district. This has now been opened and is doing excellent work.
As a tribute to his memory, it has been called the " Sir A. L. Jones
Memorial Hospital." It has accommodation at present for 15 in-
patients, with room for further extension, but owing to the war, the
Committee placed a portion of the building at the disposal of the
military authorities for the use of wounded soldiers. This was
fully availed of, but the extra cost of maintenance of the soldiers
did not fall upon the hospital funds, being defrayed by private
benevolence. ^

Just before his death in 1916, Sir W. B. Bowring, Bart., promised
to erect a recreation room at the Hospital for the use of the soldiers
who were being cared for there. Sir "William was the representative
of the Liverpool City Council on the Committee of the Hospital, the
Liverpool Corporation having contributed £7,^00 towards its erection,
in discharge of its liability under the terms of the Incorporation
Charter, 1902, to maintain the old Accident Hospital, the cost of
which up to that time was on the rates.

Sir William did not live to see his benevolent act carried out,
but the room has been completed and paid for, and was opened on
^rd December, 1916, by Lady Bowring, in the presence of mo.st of the
members of the Committee.

As I am writing this paper, I chance to have b}^ me one or two
cuttings from the Liverpool Daily Post " Day to Day " column, and
it would not be uninteresting to make reference to them whilst
referring to Garston and its neighbourhood.

Writing on 16th November, 1914, to the Liverpool Daily Post,
" R.W.W." sends an interesting note which will start Garstonians of
three generations, comparing the present days with those of half-a-
century ago. He states that the old Parish Church of Garston, an
oblong building of sandstone — the predecessor of the existing hand-

II

some edifice used to be referred to fifty years since — as " a stone
" Church with a wooden steeple, an Irish parson and EngHsh people.
" The steeple was no more than an ' openwork ' shelter for a solitary
" bell, which sent forth notes hailed as cheerful or doleful according
" to the occasion. A three-decker pulpit and some square family
" pews, with seats all round for the quality (?) were features of the
" dull interior."

The correspondent said nothing about the eloquence of the
Irish parson (whether he referred to the late Rev. John Gibson or
the late Rev. J. F. Hewson I know not), but he describes the Clerk as
an all-round man of the old sort, a servant of the Clergj^ inside, a
sexton outside, and a general tradesman in the village. He was
possessed of a powerful voice which he effectively used as a leader
of response.

In reference to this extract, I well remember the old steeple or
wooden belfry. The door to the Church was painted in blue and
studded all oyer with heavy nails (hobnails). I had been many
times in the old Church. Doubtless the Clerk referred to was the
late Mr. Samuel Rathbone, well known to me for many years. He
was by trade a boot and shoe maker and , when I came to live here in
1870, resided at No. 15, afterwards removing to No. 68 St. Mary's
Road. I can confirm fully all that is said about him. Mr. Rathbone
retired from his duties at the Church about 1884 and went to spend
the evening of his fife at a village near Chester, where he subsequently
passed away. I think some of his relatives still live in this neigh-
bourhood.

In a former pamphlet, I referred to the building of the new
Church to take the place of the old one built in 1707. There are
few if any of the Committee connected with the building of the
new Church still living, the last surviving official having passed away
quite recently in Chester, where he had resided since 1875 — I refer
to the late Mr. J. R. Thomson, j.p., the first manager of Parr's Bank
at Garston, and subsequently in a similar position at Chester, after-
wards becoming a Director. Mr. Thomson was in his ^oth year
when he died. Amongst his colleagues on the Building Committee
were the late Sir Thomas B. Royden, Hon. Secretar}'', Mr. Charles
Langton, J. p., Mr. Arthur Sinclair, j.?., and Mr. James Wood.

12

I hope to refer to the old Church again further on in this pamphlet.

One of the sextons after Mr. Rathbone was Mr. Samuel
Whitfield, who in turn was succeeded by Mr. Joseph Whitfield.
The latter held office for 27 years, and was buried in the Church-
yard on loth September, 1918. During the time he held office, he
never missed a Sunday service. He had assisted at 6,508 services,
7,990 baptisms, 1,122 marriages and 4,690 funerals.

A further interesting cutting from the Daily Post, from the pen
of that same writer, " R.W.W.," refers to the new Stalbridge Dock,
and is here produced : —

" With the making of the new dock and the subsequent growth
of the place since becoming a part of Liverpool, the topography of
Garston has so changed that those familiar with the village in the
sixties would scarcely recognise the town of to-day. Particularly
is this the case when viewed from the ancient water mill near the
Church corner riverwards. Formerly a deep dell existed, carrying
the mill stream to its outlet in the Mersey. Both sides of the dale
had sloping grassy banks to the water's edge and were embowered
with trees. Now this water-worn depression has become a miniature
mountain, as;" high as it was formerly deep. The hollow proved a
convenient dumping ground for the material from the new dock.
At the South end of the old dock, on its margin s|ood a sohd stone
building used for the storage of china clay, but built with a flat roof,
as the intention was to run train loads of coal on the summit
from the adjacent high ground, the same to be transferred by the
truckful to the shipping below. This scheme, however, was never
completed. The warehouse, as well as one or two business houses,
have all been swept away to provide the great area required for the
new dock and the many acres of wharves and sidings. One of
the buildings mentioned — a large square block — will be remembered
by the older inhabitants as the Dock Hotel [Query, Mersey Hotel]."

At one time, this hotel was kept by Mr. Samuel Tickle, who
passed away May 2bth, 1917, at Chocktau, Oklahoma, U.S.A., at
the ripe age of 84.

A few words about the present population, &c., may be of interest.

13 '

My good friend, Dr. Hope, the Medical Officer of Health for the
City of Liverpool, in his annual report for 1918, quotes the population
of Garston Ward as 28,764. No. of Births in 1918, 576 ; rate 20
per 1,000. Deaths, 440 ; rate, 15.3

The lowest death rate in the city area was in Fazakerley, 10.3,
population 6,482 ; and highest in Exchange, 30.3, population,
35.573- Total population of the city, 781,948. Births (rate 21.9 per
1,000) 17,133. Deaths (rate 19.5 per 1,000) 15,267.

The death and funeral this last week of Miss Ahce Winder, at
the advanced age of 104, proves that Garston is a very healthy place
to live in, and we have still amongst us many who have reached the
age of four score years and over.

In the Garston Weekly News of 22nd November, 1919, it is stated
that Miss Winder was born on igth June, 1815, the day after the
battle of Waterloo. She had lived under six sovereigns, and her one
wish was to live to see the country again at peace. This wish has been
gratified. On her hundredth birthday the King sent a gracious
message of congratulation, and the village residents organised a
celebration on that day. Children were conspicuous in the gathering
and Miss Winder was told that the little ones were glad to see her, and
she repHed " Aye, and I am glad to see them ; I was always fond of
the children."

An Address was also presented, and amongst those taking part
in the notable assembly were the Vicar, Rev. T. Parnell Rowe, m.a..
Revs. J. Shaw and Thomas Williams, while the Rev. T. Cole, a former
great friend of hers, also wrote a loving letter. It is a coincidence
that Mr. Cole, who had been ill for some time, should also have
passed away the same day.

Miss Winder was a native of Higher Wyresdale, near Lancaster.
For many generations members of the family have been associated
with agricultural pursuits in North Lancashire, and the family is still
represented in the Preston district. Mr. Thomas Townson, a nephew,
is the only representative in the Liverpool area.

H

Miss Winder learned dressmaking and served as a sewing-maid
in several families, her last place being with the Lockett family,
of Grassendale House, the members of which have always
demonstrated an affectionate regard for their old and honoured
servant. Some 25 years ago, she retired from service, and the late
Mrs. Lockett left her a comfortable annuity. For some years she
has been lovingly cared for by Mrs. Wilkins, of 11 Wilson Grove, at
whose house she passed away on lyth inst. She was buried on 20th
inst. at Garston Church, the officiating clergy being the Vicar and
Curate of the Parish. A large congregation attended to pay their
tribute of respect and affection to her memory.

By the courtesy of the Vicar of Garston, Rev. T. Parnell Rowe,
M.A., I have been privileged to peruse an old pamphlet, dated 1874,
concerning the old Garston Church, and from, which the following
information has been extracted. As it is of an interesting character,
I think the present residents might like to have on record some of its
history.

History and Description.

The Chapel of Garston, dedicated to St. Michael, was given in
1261 {46th Henry HI) by Thomas de Grelle to his son Peter, who
was Warden of Manchester in 1235. In the Valor of Pope Nicholas
(1291) there appears " Geston, ;^26 13s 4d." Dame Cecill, Lady of
Torbroke by will, dated yth March, 1466, bequeathed to the " Chirche
of Gerston " iiis ivd. In 1650, the Chapel was reported to be in
ruin and decay and no incumbent there " for the present." Bishop
Gastrell saj'^s that " after being for many years ruinated and disused,
no service having been performed in it since the Reformation, it was
rebuilt in 1716, by Mr. Edward Norris of Speke, with £300 left by
his mother for that use, and /60 given by himself."

A font having been discovered in the ruins, and there being
several graves in the Churchyard, it is inferred that the old Chapel
was consecrated, and the pedestal and socket of a stone cross may
still be seen in the Churchyard.

The new building was not so large as the old one, but was built
on the same site. It was quite destitute of any architectural
pretensions, surmounted with a cupola and bears the date on Southern

13

wall, 1707. It was, however, subsequently considered fit to be made
a Parish Church, to which the whole of the township of Garston
and Speke and part of Allerton were annexed — a district comprising
about 4,800 acres and being about six miles in length, with an average
breadth of about one-and-a-quarter miles (see note at end). Though
this has been reduced by the foundation of the districts of St. Anne's
(930 acres) and St. Mary's (820 acres), there is still left attached to
Garston Church an area of nearly 3,000 acres, with a population in
1871 of 5,000 souls, of whom by far the greater portion (4,500)
reside in the Village of Garston itself.

It appears that there was no endowment, nor terriers, belonging
to the Church, but in 1717, Mr. E Norris gave £300 for the
augmentation of the living, and Thomas Marsh and John
Huyton, tenants of Mr. Norris, left £20 and £10 respectively,
the interest to be paid to the " Curate." In a terrier belonging to
the Vicarage of Childwall, made in 1778, there is the entry that
" The tithe of pig, goose, hemp and flax, in the townships of Speke
and Garston, belong to ' Garston Chappell.' " It further appears
" that the tithe of Garston was worth £^6 per annum, and Mr. James
Anderton, formerly held it in lease from the Bishop of Chester, but
by reason of Mr. Anderton's delinquency, it had been ' sett and
farmed' by Mr. Peter Ambrose, agent for sequestration 'to the use
of the publique." Mr. Norris paid sixteen shillings a year for
small tithes and Easter roll for his own house (Speke Hall).

Inside the Church there was a monument to Edward, brother
of Sir W. Norris, and tablets commemorative of John Blackburne,
of Hawford (Worcestershire) and Garston, a junior branch of the
Hale family and formerly Lord of the Manor of Garston, and also of
the Watt family of Speke, patrons of the living. The vaults of
these two families were within the Church, the former about the
centre of the aisle and the latter in front of the Communion steps.

In the Churchyard, on the right of the footpath are gravestones
with Latin inscriptions in memory of Mr. Holme, the first in-
cumbent of the new Church, and of Jonathan Casson, incumbent,
who died in December, 1804, aged 45. On the left of the footpath,
a Latin inscription on a tombstone commemorates the piety and
learning of Spencer Madan Thomson, who died in 1818. It may

i6

be worth mentioning that both here and at Hale, the old practice
exists of inscribing on the upright gravestones the name of the family
to whom the particular burial place belongs.

The living was in 1834 certified to be of the value of ;j(^i38, and
in 1869 to be worth more than £200, but not £250 per annum. The
registers commenced in 1777. Respecting the various appointments
and other matters of parochial interest, it will be more convenient
to present them somewhat in the form of a diary, as otherwise from
the intricacy of the details, they will not be clearly followed. - We
therefore purpose giving —

II. List of Ministers.

igth June, 1716. Edward Norris writes to Dr. Wainwright,
Chancellor of the Diocese : " Mr. Holme desired me to acquaint you
in order to his obtaining a license, that I had made choice of him
for schoolmaster of Woolton School, and also to officiate in my new
Chappell at Garston. If this [application] is defective in form, I
shall be ready at any time to sign any instrument drawn according
to form." Three graves belonging to the Holmes' family are in the
Churchyard.

16th April, 1730. John Norris was presented to Curacy by
Richard Norris.

6th May, 1738. Thomas Barlow nominated to Curacy by Lord
Sydney Beauclerk, fifth son of first Duke of St. Alban's, who married
Mary, niece of Edward Norris, and heiress of Speke, the male line
having become extinct. Mr. Barlow was also appointed to be
schoolmaster and principal teacher in the Free School at Garston,
in succession to the Rev. John Norris. He died 13/A September, 1773,
and is buried close to the right-hand side of the footpath.

16'^ January, 1774. Abraham Ashcroft presented to the living
by Topham Beauclerk, son of the above Lord Sydney Beauclerk.
The records give the names of the Curates appointed by Mr Ashcroft :

17

1775. James Ashton ; 1778, Ambrose Liverpool ; 1779, Thomas
Johnson, Schoolmastej j 1783, Joseph Walker ; 1784, James"
Ashton (? second time).

2ist January, 1786, Jonathan Casson, nominated by Lady
Diana Beauclerk, daughter of the Duke of Marlborough, and wife
of the above-named Topham Beauclerk.

16th February, 1805. James Ashton, of Huyton (? same as
above), nominated by Richard Watt, Esq., " with the consent of
Caleb Fletcher and William Greenup, executors for the property
vested in me." Mr Watt had purchased the Speke estate from
Charles George Beauclerk, son and heir of Topham and Lady Diana
Beauclerk.

2nd January, 1810. Marcus Aurelius Parker, presented to
the Hving by Richard Watt, Esq., but resigned it /\th January, 1811.

22nd January, 1811. John Vause, presented by R Watt..
Esq. The following gentlemen were Curates during this incumbency :

William Hewson appo'nted 181 1

T. S. Boustead „ 1813

Richard Alanson ,, 1813

Robert Brough ,, 1814

John Gibson, ^th September 18 16

9^/^ January, 1836. John Gibson, b.a. (the last Curate),
admitted to the benefice, which he retained till his death, i^th
February, 1869, aged 74. He had the assistance as Curates of : —

Henry Jones, b.a. appointed 1864

William Henry Casey, b.a. „ 1866

John Brack „ 1868

2:^rd April, 1869. John Fitzgerald Hewson, b.a., presented
to the living by Miss Watt and the trustees of the Speke estate.
Curates : —

Samuel Lancaster Laidman, 10th January, 1873
Alfred Walton, 8th June, 1873.

i8

A few circumstances connected with the Parish will be mentioned
under the title of —

III. Stray Notes.

1819. Date over entrance of Old School, Chapel Road.

■^ i^th January, 1828. Order in Council defining the boundaries
of the district attached to Garston Church.

1838. Church licensed by Bishop Sumner for celebration of
marriages.

igth June, 1844. Order in Council separating St. Anne's
district from Garston Parish.

4th September, 1854. The Bishop of Chester conveyed the right
of nomination to Garston Chapel to Lady Mary Beauclerk, after her
husband's death.

8^^ February, 1855. Order in Council separating St. Mary's
district from Garston Parish.

2gth May, 1861. Additional land to the burial ground con-
secrated.

6th November, 1865. Foundation stone of the new National
School laid. Cost of the buildings and land, £1,780, of which the
Education Department granted £354.

1866. Testimonials presented to Rev. John Gibson and the
Rev. Henry Jones. During the Curacy of the latter gentleman, and
probably on 12th February, 1865, the congregation was dismissed
once without any service, owing to a miscarriage of notes between the
two clergymen, both of whom were ill.

i^th December, 1866. Church hcensed under the new Act of
Parliament for the celebration of marriages, baptisms, churchings
and burials.

6th January, 1867. First Sunday evening service held.

lyth January, 1867. Living constituted a Vicarage under
Lord Blandford's Act.

March to May, 1867. Church closed for re-painting, &c. No
services were held for two Sundays, after which the Reading
Room was engaged.

1868. Testimonial to Rev. W. H. Casey.

19

November, 1870. Steps first taken to enlarge the National
Schools, so as to accommodate 700 children. The work was com-
pleted in 1872, at a cost of £1,558, towards which the Education
Department made a grant of ^^449.

21st January, 1871. Speke School-room licensed for divine
service.

1st November, 1872. Foundation stone of new Church in Speke.

Easter, 1873. Church Building Committee appointed.

2<^th September, 1873. The Mission Church (formerly Wesleyan
Chapel, Chapel Road), opened as a supplementary Church.

IV. In concluding, the pamphlet from which I have quoted
goes on to say :

" With respect to the future, it may be well to quote from the
circular issued by the Church Building Committee in May, 1874
(the officers of which I have already mentioned earlier in this pamphlet).
The Church Building Committee, in appealing to the pubhc for
assistance, beg to state that the existing Parish Church provides
accommodation for only 250 worshippers out of a resident population
of 6,000, which is constantly increasing, and which is moreover
exclusive of a floating population in the Dock of about 300. The
greater portion of the residents belong to the working class, to whom
it will be an impossibility to erect such a Church as the neighbour-
hood requires without aid from the general public. The proposed
building (designed by Messrs. T. D. Barry & Son, Architects), is
estim.ated to cost about £6,000, towards which £3,000 has already
been promised in answer to the above appeal. To aid in this worthy
object a number of ladies and gentlemen organised a Bazaar, held
in the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, ^th, gth and loth December,
1874, which it was hoped would be as successful as the most sanguine
of the promoters could wish."

The pamphlet from which these details are extracted was
intended for sale at the Bazaar. In a letter written to me early in
1914, at the time of the death of my father, the late Mr. R. W.
Jones, J. p., Mr. J. R. Thomson, j.p,, Chester, who has but this year
only passed away at the ripe age of 80, and who was the Hon. Treasurer,
told me the net sum realised by that effort was £3000.

20

The following may be useful in comparing the areas of the
Parishes mentioned : —

Area of original district, 1828.

A

R.

P.

In Garston Township 1625

0

27

Speke 2504

2

26

Parts of Allerton 694

I

12

Total 4824 o 25

Area of present Ecdesiastical Districts,
(i) St. Michael's, Garston —

A.

R.

P.

In Garston Township 440

3

30

Speke 2504

2

26

Allerton ... 27

3

3

Total 2973

I

19

(2)

St, Anne's, Aigburth —

A.

R.

P.

In Garston Township 714

0

30

Allerton ... 218

2

16

Total 932

3

6

(3)

St. Mary's, Grassendale —

A.

R.

P.

In Garston Township 470

0

7

Allerton ... 347

3

3

818 o o

The inscriptions on the monument erected in the Church to
Edward Norris was as follows: — " Edward Norris, m.d., was the
fifth son of Thomas Norris, Esq., by Catherine, the daughter of
Sir Henry Garriway, Knight, Lord Mayor of London. He married
Ann, the daughter and heiress of Peter Gerrard, of Crecwood, by
whom he had issue, Thomas, Susanna and Catharine.

21

" He died 22m/ July, 1726, in ye 62 year of his age. He was
educated to the profession of Physic in tlie University of Oxford,
and College of Brazen Nose. Went Secretary to his brother. Sir
William Norris, Embassador from King William IH to Aureng
Zee. Served in parliament in the reign of King George I for the
Borough of Liverpool, and having always preserved his virtue and
honour and a true love of the estabhshed religion, laws and liberties
of this country, he retired with his family, in which he placed his
chiefest happiness upon earth, and lived in tranquility at Speke,
the seat of his ancestors, and was gathered to them in peace."

He was of a spirit gentle and courteous, his temper was sweet
and easy, his mind serene and equal, his judgment was cool, but
his heart warm with affection to his friends, benevolence to man-
kind and zeal for the glory of God.

The kindness between him and all his relations in every degree
was perfect. • ,

The poor that wanted his advice received his charity with it.

This Chapel was raised from a heap of ruins by the liberalitj^
of his mother and himself.

And that he might, not by any means in the cause of example,
of defacing the decency of this place, which he hath adorned.

He expressly directed that his body should be interred in the
adjacent burying ground. There it is deposited in hopes of the
resurrection of the just.

But he shall dwell in the temple not made with hands, through
the mercy of Christ Jesus.

This monument was erected by Ann Norris to the memory
of her dear husband.

The writer of the pamphlet (unnamed) from which I quote
consulted the following books for information : —

(i) Baines' " History of Lancashire."

(2) Gregson's " Lancashire Fragments."

(3) " Nobilia Estranus." Vol 21. Cheetham Society Papers.

Garston Jubilee Institute.

The foundation stone of this building was laid on Wednesday,
2yd July, 1890, at 3 p.m., by Miss Mary Ashton, of Oldfield, in the

22

eleventh year of the episcopate of the Right Rev. J. C. Ryle, d.d.,
Lord Bishop of Liverpool. T. Ohver, d.d., Vicar. E. W. Turner and
R. G. Tushingham, Churchwardens.

Mr. J. Kennedy, who drove the " Rocket " engine to Manchester,
with Geo. Stephenson, in 1830, died at 10 Eaton Road, Cressington
Park, in September, 1886, aged 96 years.

Garston Docks.

Whilst preparing this paper, I came across an interesting
pamphlet issued by the L. &N.W.R. Co, I think at the opening of
their Stalbridge Dock, and from which the information has been
obtained.

Thfese docks, the property of the London and North-Western
Railway Company, are free from Liverpool Dock Rates, the only
liability being for Harbour and Light Dues, in addition to the dues
recoverable under the Railway Company's special Acts of Parliament.

Garston is recognised as a cheap port by both shipowners and
merchants, consequently its resources are continually taxed. Under
these conditions, the Railway Company some years ago obtained
powers for the construction of a third dock.

The first dock, the old dock, covering an area of 76 acres, was
opened on 21st June, 1853.

The second, or North Dock, was opened in 1876, and covers
8 acres.

The Stalbridge Dock, the third dock, before referred to,
named after the then Chairman of the Railway Company, Lord
Stalbridge, was opened by him on 2^th February, 1909, and covers
an area of 14^ acres.

Being a railway port, goods are naturally transferred direct
from ship to railway wagon, or vice versa, thus reducing handling
and obviating costly cartage, advantages representing a great
saving to merchants.

23

At the time of the opening of the Stalbridge Dock, vessels up to
5,000 tons carrying capacity could be dealt with, but a new channel
has since been completed, enabling vessels of 10/12,000 tons to enter
the port. The channel is about 800 yards long and 300 feet wide,
and leads direct from the Garston deeps to the new Stalbridge
Dock entrance.

The Dock accommodation is as follows : —

Width at Berthing

Entrance Space

Old Dock 50 feet 2160 feet

North Dock 55 „ 2400 „

Stalbridge Dock ... 65 „ 3170 „
with a lock 276 feet long.

Communication passages exist between the North and Old
Docks, and a further communication between the Old and New
(Stalbridge) Docks of 65 feet has been constructed.

To show the increase in the trade of the port, I believe I am
correct in stating that in the year 1867, the shipments of coal, &c.,
amounted to 450,000 tons, whilst in 1907 the total imports were :
666,011 tons. Exports, including coal, 2,738,131 tons.

In the latter year, the vessels cleared totalled :
Steamers, 3,980 ; Saihng Vessels, 480 ; Lighters, 4,110.

Extensive warehouse accommodation exists in connection
with the docks, and a very large business in minerals is conducted
through the port, viz., sulphur, copper, manganese, iron and other
ores. Floored berths of special character, and accommodation exist
in these berths for upwards of 100,000 tons of mineral cargo. The
import of minerals during 1907 was 391,553 tons. Special premises
adequately fitted with appliances for the purpose of sampling
mineral ore have been provided and are much appreciated by
merchants and analytical chemists concerned in the trade.

24

There are also about 48 acres of ground especially levelled for

timber storage, and provided with sidings at convenient distances

from each other, so as to admit of cargoes being laid down, sorted,

iled or selected, as may be necessary. Special accommodation

or heavy logs has been provided, and a travelling, crane is available

for stacking, &c., which is capable of piling logs to a height of 30 feet.

There are regular weekly .•sailings of steamers to Rouen, Bor-
deaux and other French ports, and to Jamaica and the Canaries in
connection with the banana trade of Messrs. Elders & Fyffes Ltd.,
special accommodation having also been provided for housing the
bananas on arrival at Garston.

Some 70 miles of sidings exist at the port, of which 8 miles
are actually on, or alongside the quays, and therefore available for
direct working of cargoes from shipside to trucks or vice versa.

The traffic dealt with at the docks since has shown a considerable
increase on the figures already quoted.

The Railway Company recently informed me that in 1918 the
traffic dealt with, excluding coal, amounted to 750,000 tons. Owing
to various restrictions, 1918 was not a normal year so far as coal
was concerned, but they have handled in 12 months as much as
2,500,000 tons.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

Los Alleles
This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.

20w-7,'67(H3149s4)

QayfLrd^ DA 690, G23J72

PAMPHLET BINDER
Syracui*, N. Y<
Slocklen. Caltf.

SOUTHERN REGIONS

000 997 223 3